India is not only ranked high on the list of countries where
trafficking begins, but it is also ranked as an important
destination country. There is a dearth of comprehensive and
reliable data on the magnitude of this; nevertheless, what is
undisputed is that by any account, the number of people involved in
trafficking is extremely high. According to UN estimates, there are
about 2 million sex workers in India, of whom 60% were trafficked
into prostitution while they were between 12 and 16 years of age.
UNICEF estimates that there are around 500,000 minor girls in
forced prostitution in India.

These girls are
tricked by false promises of a good job or they are sold into 'the
industry' by a relative. It is said that they may have as many as
20 clients a day. Even if they are able to leave, the girls are
deeply wounded emotionally and need counselling and a strong
support network to avoid returning to prostitution. Uneducated and
often considered ineligible for marriage because of the
exploitation, rescued girls are in desperate need of basic
education, medical care and vocational training.

CONTRIBUTING FACTORS

The contributing factors for trafficking are often divided into
push and pull factors. The push factors include: abject poverty,
lack of education, training and income opportunities for women in
rural areas, absence of awareness about the activities of
traffickers, the burden of giving dowries, domestic violence and
gender discrimination.

The pull factors include: lucrative employment propositions in
big cities, the promise of a better life, demand for girls for
marriage in other regions, demand for cheap labour and the
misconceptions that relations with a young girl can cure HIV/AIDS
and impotence.

ATTITUDES TO THE PROBLEM

The Indian government has signed and ratified international
treaties on trafficking such as theUN Convention on Suppression of
Immoral Traffic and Exploitation of Prostitution of OthersandtheUN
TIP Protocol (The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish
Trafficking in Persons). It has also enacted domestic
anti-trafficking legislation and has established prevention,
rehabilitation and re-integration programmes.

Many faith-based and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have
also tried to eliminate the problem of trafficking. Their
strategies include: anti-trafficking interventions, research,
awareness campaigns, sensitisation training for judicial and law
enforcement officials, counselling and medical services to victims,
and educational and vocational opportunities for victims and their
children.

However, the attitude of society towards victims of sex
trafficking is one of disdain. Victims are stigmatised and
ostracised by local communities, and so prefer not to speak out
against the perpetrators or report the abuse to the police. Many of
the victims also suffer from HIV/AIDS which adds to the
stigmatisation and emotional trauma.

ACTION TAKEN: LEGAL PROTECTION AND REMEDY

Victims are afforded protection and the right to legal remedy
under several laws. The Indian Constitution specifically prohibits
human trafficking underArticle 23and asserts that all citizens have
the right to be protected from exploitation.

India also has its own domestic anti-trafficking legislation
known as theImmoral Traffic Prevention Act (ITPA)which punishes
brothel owners, managers and traffickers with prison sentences
ranging from three years to life. There are other domestic laws
that attempt to prevent trafficking such as theIndian Penal Code
(IPC)as well as special legislation such asThe Child Marriage
Restraint Act 1929, Child Labour Act 1986, Offences Against
Children Act 2005,and local legislation such asGoa Children's Act
2003.

In 2006, the Ministry of Home Affairs established Anti-Human
Trafficking Units, which were responsible for capacity building of
police and prosecutors, monitoring actions taken by state
governments and law enforcement agencies to check human trafficking
across borders.

Several anti-trafficking schemes were also launched by the
government such asUjjwala, consisting of prevention, rescue,
rehabilitation, reintegration and repatriation for foreign victims,
and the provision ofSwaadhar(short-stay homes)for women, which
provide shelter, food, clothing, counselling, medical and legal
aid, economic rehabilitation and education. Also a child-line
service for vulnerable children was launched.

In 2011, specialised police units in major Indian cities were
set up to investigate trafficking cases and arrest traffickers.
Often the police lack the resources to investigate and make arrests
in every trafficking case, which can give traffickers impunity from
prosecution. Although prostitution is not considered an offence in
India, theITPAcriminalises solicitation or engaging in sex work in
or near a public place. This can be used as a justification by the
police to arrest and imprison trafficked women and children.

ACTION TAKEN BY NGOS AND FAITH-BASED
ORGANISATIONS

There are many NGOs working on the prevention and elimination of
human trafficking in India. They have their own investigators and
sources of information regarding brothels and trafficked women and
children. After verifying the information, they coordinate with
state authorities to conduct raids and rescue victims. After the
raid and rescue, these victims are sent to rehabilitation
programmes run by the government or NGOs. During this time the NGOs
provide counselling, medical care, legal aid and training for the
women, and help with the process of restoration and repatriation.
They also assist the court and public prosecutor in order to ensure
that criminal charges are filed against the perpetrators and that
any applications for bail are opposed.

LIVES TRANSFORMED

Until very recently, one aspect of the aftercare work of our
organisation was the operation of a home in Ooty, Tamil Nadu. Here,
rescued girls were given education and job training in the care of
Christian staff in a family-style setting.

Grace is one of many success stories from the Ooty aftercare
programme. When she arrived just over three years ago, she was
sceptical and reluctant. She knew very little English, was barely
educated and deeply wounded. Now Grace is a dedicated follower of
Jesus. She completed a course at a discipleship training school and
now works at Ruhamah Designs; her English is excellent and she has
become proficient on the computer. Grace is a living testimony of
the power of Jesus' restorative work in the life of a broken person
in need of His healing.

PROGRESS

Because systematic data and information on trafficking in India
is lacking, it is difficult to measure the progress that has been
made in combating this trade. Nevertheless, because of consistent
raids conducted by the police and NGOs, there has been a
significant decrease in the number of minor girls in prostitution
in some of the major urban areas of India. For instance, in Mumbai,
it is now difficult to find minor girls in prostitution, thanks to
the dedicated work of numerous organisations and the substantially
improved response of government authorities to this problem over
the course of the last ten years. There has also been an increased
willingness by the police to uphold the law and rescue minors.

The group with which we work has
conducted over 250 investigations in 25 cities, rescued over 200
girls, and over 80 criminal cases have been filed - with over 45 of
them currently at different stages in the justice system. Eight
brothel keepers and/or traffickers have been sentenced to either
three, five or seven years in prison. The group has also
established a micro-enterprise employment opportunity, provides
counselling and care for victims in government facilities, and
coordinates an annual wilderness camp for rescued girls from around
India.